Day 62: Menerbes to Apt

April 20, 2025

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We started the day by looking out the window, and being pleased to remember that we were in Provence. Dodie was also tickled by the fact that from this window she could see a perched Kestrel. It turned out that a family of Kestrels lived in the little hole in the building opposite - just above the middle window, in the photo.

We went down for breakfast, and were ushered into an atmospheric room in this 200 year old house.

Not only was the room great, but our hosts - Vincent and Severine - provided a really first class meal. There were eggs cooked to order, homemade bread and homemade jams, and such rarities as smoked salmon and a whole chevre cheese.

The strawberry variety had the longest berries we have seen.

Chevre, smoked salmon, and pine nut based cookie.

Although Vincent and Severine did not actively do anything to foster our impression, it was clear that they were gentle and intellectual people. This we got from their demeaner, from glimpses into their book cluttered personal spaces, and from their comments on US politics. And their breakfast, of course, was brilliant. Not only would we plan to stay with them again, but we would make plans to come to Menerbes, just knowing that we could stay with them.

We set off toward the east, and mostly just gawked at the beautiful Provence landscapes, while eyeing up villas that we could fantasize about buying,

Meanwhile, although we were not on any dedicated bike route, the roads were basically empty and the surfaces good.

Our Google track did send us down the little road shown. At the end was another good candidate villa. We turned right, and carried on.

Until Google then wanted to send us up this track, to a ridge upon which sat a monastery.

We balked at that, and came back past that villa with the row of Cypress.

We circled around and came past another way, from which we could see that monastery.

It was very nice, surely, but we did not want to go that way.

Now we came to some real roads, and a famous iconic choice in this region. Lacoste and Bonnieux are towns sitting atop adjacent hills, with one visible from the other. Which way to go, which one to visit. Why both, of course, but were chose Lacoste to be first.

For some reason Dodie is obsessed with Mont Ventoux, at least to the extent that she keeps saying "Look, look, you can see Ventoux from here!" And yes, we could see Ventoux from here!

Off we go to Lacoste, and into that Ventoux view.

Lacoste is topped by a chateau, one which was at one time owned by the Marquis de Sade, bringing it notoriety. It was also later bought and partially restored by Pierre Cardin.

A profile of de Sade around the castle entrance.

There are a few rather miscellaneous sculptures on the grounds.

We don't think the castle is open to the public, and it is likely mostly a ruin inside also. Here is a graphic of what is behind the door.

Looking from the castle to the lush Luberon.

One of the sculptures contains a bust of deSade.

There is a staircase or path from the town to the castle, but we descended to the town by road, as far as that went. Far more than even Menerbes, this is a place of narrow cobbled passages. It really felt like some sort of mountain stronghold, which I guess it was.

The upper entrance to town. Cars can approach by road from below, to some extent.

I left my bike behind. Not much use taking it through here.

There is a restaurant in the town, called the de Sade. Here is Dodie inspecting what tortures they might inflict through their menu or prices.

The other major food thing is the rather famous Cafe de France. The main thing here is the view from the tables out over the valley.

From below, Lacoste looks much less confusing than when you are up in it.

Bonnieux, while equally up on a hill, seemed to have more open space, but also seemingly only one main street. We passed through that, noting two bike shops, and very quickly were directed down again. We stopped to eat our lunch in some shade by an array of garbage bins. This was a bit stinky, but very convenient for disposing of our garbage! Around the next corner, of course, was a full fledged picnic area.

Lavender near our garbage dump picnic site.

From Bonnieux we headed to Apt. This was about 10 km of quite continual downhill. This can be a bit tiring, as you have to sit on your brakes.

Apt struck us as uninspiring, maybe because here on a Sunday nothing is happening. We did like the golden Madonna atop the 12th century Ste Anne Basilica, and the city gate with clock tower, but that was kind of it.

Our BnB was just off a square by the Calavon River, and it was named l'Auberge Espagnole, for no reason than we could see. It is in another nice old house, and our room is large, with high ceilings. The square contained two restaurants, but their offerings are at the now standard rates of over 20 euros each. Instead we found one open Proxi store, and came away with two substantial salads.

The internet in the house was truly abyssmal, running at about .3 mbps, or about 100 times slower than our none too fast internet back home. I have spent the last four hours watching the much reduced in size photos for today's post trying to load.

I think I got enough of them in to convey today's ride. Tomorrow we will head to Roussillon, which is famous for its ochre hills. We are just loving it here!

An oh, we spotted a Eurasian Blue Tit!

Today's ride: 32 km (20 miles)
Total: 1,840 km (1,143 miles)

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